Gene-modified wheat at centre of row fails to repel aphids

Source: Reuters

Markets | Thu Jun 25, 2015 9:00am EDT

Gene-modified wheat at centre of row fails to repel aphids

LONDON, JUNE 25 | BY BEN HIRSCHLER

A genetically engineered wheat that gives off a special smell designed to repel aphids has flopped in field-scale tests, underscoring the difficulty of harnessing the controversial technology.

Scientists said the result was disappointing but they aim to amend the process to do better in future, believing that genetic modification (GM) offers a way to develop resilient crops that don't need to be sprayed with pesticides.

Critics, however, fear such GM plants risk contaminating the environment and could jeopardise the food chain.

The work at Britain's Rothamsted Research institute in southern England was the first test of a crop engineered to release an anti-insect pheromone, or smell, and it provoked protests from anti-GM activists who threatened -- but failed -- to rip up the plants.

While the crop survived human attack, however, it fared less well against the aphids.

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Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/06/25/science-gmo-wheat-idUSL8N0Z81Y420150625